Mick Walsh From the cockpit
‘Word of his talent spread to Alfa, and he was the only Englishman invited to race the glorious Alfetta’
Every time I’m lucky enough to drive a historic racer, I start thinking about the characters who originally competed in them. For me, the Aston DB3 (p152) brings to mind Reginald Parnell. Known as ‘Uncle Reg’ for his generous nature and mature appearance, Parnell was one of the most respected English drivers of the immediate post-war years. With his stocky build and cheery character, the Derby man looked an unlikely ace yet few drove such a wide range of machines, from self-prepared MG at Brooklands to works DBR1 at Le Mans.
A career highlight included a foul day at Goodwood in 1950, when he mastered the V16’s tricky powerband to secure BRM’S first two wins. Word of his talent spread to Alfa Romeo and, aged 39, he was the only English driver to race the glorious Alfetta, bringing it home third at Silverstone in the 1950 GP of Europe.
In his early years, Parnell had a reputation for being wild, but his background in road transport contrasted with the privileged pre-war set – particularly when he bluntly maintained that he raced for money. His driving first impressed aged 14, when his brother instructed him to take a lorry around a Derby square. The successful trial led to him being immediately dispatched – without licence or insurance – to Grantham!
Engineering in the family business appealed more, and after a visit to Donington he saved up for a Bugatti and began racing. Later, in practice for the Brooklands 500, he spun his MG into Kay Petre’s Austin and had his licence revoked. He continued to attend meetings, however, and it was reinstated in 1939. After frustration with an ERA and the BHW Special, Parnell began building his own car, the Challenger, but war interrupted this advanced design’s development.
The transport business kept him out of the army, so Parnell was perfectly placed to acquire and stash cars. When peace came, Reg proved that enthusiasm had matured into genuine talent with the ERA E-type and various Maseratis. As well as multiple BRDC Gold Stars, Parnell was dubbed ‘The Emperor of Goodwood’.
Among his more unusual races was an adventure to the Swedish GP in ’47 with R1A. To cope with the cold at the first ice race at Rommehed, Parnell wore everything he’d brought – from pyjamas to an RAF flying jacket – and had to be hoisted into the car. His second win at Lake Vallentuna was even colder, so the ERA ran on petrol with the radiator blanked off, and twin rear tyres for traction. “The Swedish papers said that we British drivers didn’t care about the cold,” he reported. “They must have mistaken our iced expressions for stiff upper lips.”
Photographer Louis Klemantaski was a regular co-driver, starting on the 1953 Mille Miglia. After a broken throttle cable brought their DB3 to a halt on the Raticosa, an amazed Klemantaski witnessed Parnell rig it wide open and drive the remaining 400 miles on the ignition switch. That determined resolve was typical of his character. He also had a go at the Monte in a DB2/4, but prior to the event he’d got a new set of false teeth and they proved uncomfortable. During the long night stints, he took them out and hung them on the dash until the next control. “He’d suddenly remember them and, steering with one hand, would cram them in,” recalled Klemantaski. “I’d known him since before the war, and always regarded him as a very fine driver.”
A key player at Aston Martin, Parnell finally hung up his helmet in 1957 and switched to team manager, culminating in the 1959 World Sports Car Championship. In later years he encouraged such youngsters as John Surtees, but just as he was developing a new GP car he suddenly died aged 53 after a routine appendix operation.
This year, the little-known Challenger will finally return to the track after a lengthy rebuild by ERA specialist Duncan Ricketts. The fascinating project will hopefully highlight the achievements of ‘Uncle Reg’.